Blog

Nov 05 2018

Why Bristol is the place to be for C# Developers

James Dyson

If you work in IT and tech, chances are you’ve considered a job in Bristol – and if not, we’re here to tell you why you should.

The digital and tech scene in Bristol is one of the biggest and most sought-after by professionals in the UK, given the ever-growing number of start-ups, the investment into IT and tech roles as a whole, and the meetups in the region with thousands of members. (Bristech alone has over 2,000 members – and counting!)

We’ve noticed that when discussing the tech community in Bristol with our clients, “investment” is the common buzzword that keeps cropping up, given the ever-growing funding pouring into the city for startups and citywide initiatives. In addition to new tech businesses, we’ve also noticed companies with a presence in other regions opening up new offices in Bristol, to be amongst the rapidly growing tech community – where C# Developers are now in high demand.

So, if you’re interested in finding a new job in Bristol – we have some tips to help you market yourself to attract the best roles, and we’ve got one particular business in mind if you want to get a head-start and begin applying today.

Market yourself as the best C# Developer around

As a talented C# developer in an industry with a known skills shortage, businesses need you. But they either don’t know you exist, or you’ve been beaten to the post by someone more qualified in talking the talk, than walking the walk. If you’re yearning for a promotion or change of scenery but are struggling to get beyond the “thanks but no thanks” rejection email, you might be marketing yourself wrongly.

But, your background is in programming, not marketing - why should your ability to market yourself matter? It’s a reality for any C# developer eager to develop their career and one that consultants at Evolution can help with - so, if you’re not receiving the job attention you deserve, pay attention.

Show people your skills

You know your C# skills are tip-top. You use them every day, they’re listed on your CV and LinkedIn profile, and you talk about them at length during interviews. But are you missing an opportunity to highlight the benefits that your skills bring?

Speak in terms of business value - businesses hire C# developers to bring business value. Use your CV, LinkedIn profile and any interviews to show what your skills can deliver in terms of solving business problems, increasing revenue, reducing costs and improving efficiencies by using real-life examples.

Be a model employee - you might want to leave your current position as soon as possible, but using your current role to demonstrate how you can solve problems and produce quality work under pressure, to deadlines and as a team player, strengthens your reputation among managers as someone who gets things done. Not only will this help with references, but you never know when your paths will cross again.

Contribute to open source projects - what better way to showcase your skills than to take part in open source projects that you can direct potential employers to? If you’ve never contributed to an open source project before, head here and get started.

Learn new skills - Demonstrating your technical expertise, adaptability and willingness to improve is easy when you’re proactively learning new skills. Furthermore, they keep you well rounded, relevant and give you something interesting to discuss in interviews.

Tell people about your skills

C# developers are often hidden heroes, completing impressive and outstanding work without telling a soul. But how can businesses looking for their next superhero find you if they don’t know about your skills?

Network - often described as a necessary evil, networking provides the perfect opportunity to talk about your skills and connect with people that could help you in the future. Attend local, national and international meetups (there’s plenty going on in Bristol!), as well as conferences and talks. If networking isn’t your thing, look for courses that teach you how - it’s easier once you know.

Write - the perfect way to tell people about your skills is to create a portfolio, be active on social media, write a blog and contribute to forums such a Quora, Stack Overflow and GitHub. It can get you noticed, creates a personal brand, demonstrates your passion, and it’s somewhere to direct potential employers to.

Speak - if writing is not your style, speak. Create podcasts or, if you feel comfortable, volunteer to talk at events, meetups and conferences.

Encompass - think your C# skills are what sets you apart from the competition? Think again. Brainstorm examples of soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, project management and problem-solving, and highlight these on your .NET CV and during interviews. These could be the difference between a rejection and an offer.

Find out about businesses looking for C# developers

Looking for C# development jobs? You’re in luck. Not only can consultants at Evolution help you to market yourself, as mentioned above, but we can help you find your perfect role – and we happen to be working with one business in particular that you’ll definitely want to hear about.

Imaginera built a team of 35+ in Oxford, and now they’re recruiting the best C# developers for their new offices in the heart of Bristol. Get in touch with me to find out more about them, or apply online today!